EAU CLAIRE, Wisconsin (WEAU) – A large group of Wisconsin residents will be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services announced on Thursday.
Included in the new group are individuals with medical conditions associated with an increased risk of serious COVID-19 diseases aged 16 or over. The medical conditions included in the new eligibility group are:
- Asthma (moderate to severe)
- Cancer
- Cerebrovascular disease (affects blood vessels and blood supply to the brain)
- Chronic kidney disease
- COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
- Cystic fibrosis
- Down’s syndrome
- Heart problems such as heart failure, coronary artery disease or cardiomyopathies
- Hypertension or high blood pressure
- Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) due to solid organ transplant, blood or bone marrow transplant, immune deficiencies, HIV, use of corticosteroids or use of other drugs to weaken the immune system
- Liver disease
- Neurological conditions, such as dementia
- Obesity (body mass index [BMI] 30-39 kg / m2)
- Excess weight (BMI 25-29 kg / m2)
- Pregnancy
- Pulmonary fibrosis (with damaged lung tissue or scarring)
- Severe obesity (BMI 40 kg / m2 or more)
- Sickle cell anemia
- Type 1 or 2 diabetes mellitus
- Thalassemia (a type of blood disorder)
“It is based on the best evidence we have about what medical conditions make someone more vulnerable to serious illness or death,” said DHS Deputy Secretary Julie Willems Van Dijk.
The new eligible group will be able to receive the COVID-19 vaccine from 29 March. This does not mean that all eligible people will be vaccinated immediately.
“Please have a little patience. Even knowing that people are eligible, it will take some time during April and early May to reach all of these groups, ”said Lieske Giese, Director of the Eau Claire County Department of Health.
According to a statement from DHS, more than 2 million Wisconsin residents are newly eligible with this announcement.
Depending on the available supply of vaccines, DHS says it expects the general population in Wisconsin to become eligible in May.
Due to the large number of new eligible individuals, DHS adds that, in places where the vaccine is scarce, providers can prioritize individuals considered to be at highest risk among the eligibility groups.
“Health care providers may need to under-prioritize within these groups and can consider factors such as people with serious or unstable conditions, racial or ethnic groups, old age or people with multiple illnesses,” said Willems Van Dijk.
A local provider will not be downgrading the 1C group. Prevea Health’s medical director, Dr. Ken Johnson, said it is very difficult to determine which of the medical conditions listed merit priority status.
“When I look at the list of medical conditions that are now becoming eligible on March 29, it would be very difficult to stratify which of these people should receive the vaccine in what order, so we will continue to give the vaccine based on who the state says is eligible and then whoever signs up, ”he said.
The Marshfield Clinic said it would still prioritize people who are already on the waiting list to be vaccinated.
The Mayo Clinic said it has not yet decided how it will prioritize people who fall under 1C.
Giese said the Eau Claire County Health Department will not prioritize people in 1C for its vaccine clinics, but its focus now is on vaccinating teachers.
Johnson, however, said that eligible people should not wait to sign up for an appointment.
“As long as there are vacancies available, I think it is important that we administer all the doses of vaccine that I have available,” he said. “So, I don’t want to go to the end of the week and take 500 doses that I didn’t give because people were waiting.”
Johnson said the number of consultations and which vaccine people receive at Prevea Health is determined by what the state provides each week.
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